A Hollywood chef reveals what it's really like to cook for A-list celebrities

Kathleen Schaffer is known for her unique dishes, like this prosciutto canapé. Schaffer LA

The INSIDER Summary:

INSIDER spoke with Kathleen Schaffer — one-half of the Hollywood catering company Schaffer LA — about what it's like to cook for the celebrity elite.

Schaffer has been a private chef, hosted parties, and catered events for David Beckham, Julie Andrews, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, and Reese Witherspoon, to name a few.

Most celebrities are just like "regular" people, she says, but many of them do have very restrictive, no-carb diets.

Behind the glamorous lives of beautiful A-listers are the people who make Hollywood run like a well-oiled machine: agents, publicists, stylists, and, of course, personal chefs. INSIDER got a sneak peak of what it's like to cook for and mingle with Hollywood's elite, thanks to Kathleen Schaffer, former personal chef to Eddie Murphy, Kate Beckinsdale, and Keenen Ivory Wayans.

She and her husband currently own Schaffer LA, a catering business that hosts events like the "Breaking Bad" series finale party, "The Handmaid's Tale" season premiere party, and Vanity Fair magazine shoots with Angelina Jolie.

We asked Schaffer for the inside scoop on what it's really like to spend your days cooking and planning events for Hollywood's A-list, as well as celebrity food preferences, and some of her favorite juicy stories.

"A lot of the rider requests come from managers, not the celebrities themselves," Schaffer says. "Like, I seriously doubt Jennifer Aniston only drinks Smart Water, and do you really think Beyoncé drinks Pepsi? With co-branding and sponsorships, the celebrity is sometimes required to have the product in the room. Or sometimes, managers will go overboard and hear their client say one time, 'That was really delicious!' and from then on their rider says 'they always want hot wings in their room.'"

They rarely cheat on their diets, and everything needs to have a gluten-free option

We're always reading about the latest low-carb, gluten-free diets that celebrities follow, but they must take a night off for those incredible after-parties with piles of food, right?

"So many famous people avoid carbohydrates these days, so we always have a protein option like a sashimi or crudo," Schaffer said. "They're so disciplined. Currently paleo is popular, as well as raw food and zero-carb diets. We try to incorporate superfoods and coconut oil into our menus, and these days we always have to have vegan and gluten-free options at almost every event we do."

Some celebrities are so restrictive, they count blueberries

"I cooked for Kate Beckinsale and she was so restrictive, she had us counting blueberries and measuring salmon," Schaffer said. "But then you look at some of these people in person and you understand counting blueberries if you look like Kate Beckinsale."

The most popular celebrity food requests are actually pretty boring

"There are always riders sent to us regarding specific diets and preferences of celebrities," she said. "Most celebrities that we work with eat the following: steamed vegetables, salad, steamed brown rice, baked chicken, and quinoa."

Some celebrities use her parties to cheat on their diets

David Beckham is well-known for a pretty strict "lean and clean diet," so it surprised Schaffer when she saw him indulging.

"Sometimes we create a specific meal for a celebrity with strict guidelines and they don't eat it," Schaffer said. "For example, one time David Beckham had his meal of vegetables and grilled steak prepared for him, but when he saw the crew's buffet spread, he chose to dig into that instead because he was enjoying it so much."

A crucial part of the job is rolling with the punches

Schaffer and her team have had to think on their feet in numerous situations, especially when celebrities are late (which they're notorious for).

"Once we did a fundraiser where the guest of honor (a very famous award-winning director) was over an hour late arriving," Schaffer said. "It pushed back the service schedule and created a nightmare for us and also for the charity in charge of hosting the event. We tried our best to speed up the dinner service for over 500 guests, and our chefs and waiters were consummate professionals. They recovered and the evening continued."

It also involves turning gaffes into opportunities... even when Gordon Ramsay curses you out

"We were working with MasterChef Junior and had to make the world's largest cupcake," Schaffer recalled. "We were baking it in an automotive oven, but I knew from the beginning that the cupcake wouldn't work; it's just science. Sure enough, the giant cake didn't rise. So at the last minute, we had to do a microscopic cupcake instead. It was teeny and had the smallest sprinkles, but was still presented in this 10-foot-by-10-foot box meant for the giant cake. Gordon Ramsay opened it and on-camera, in front of the kids, goes, "oh, f**k off."

Cooking for Hollywood's foodies is one of the best parts of the job

"Tim Curry is actually really into food," Schaffer said. "He wanted to know everything that was on the menu that we did for a party at his home, and he curated the whole thing."

Curry's curated menu for his dinner party included some of his favorite foods like chicken and waffles, Peking duck, bahn mi sliders, beef short rib grilled cheese, and rice balls.

Another real foodie is Reese Witherspoon, who requested that Schaffer put together a Southern-inspired meal with all of her favorite hometown foods for her 40th birthday party. The menu included hush puppies, black eyed pea hummus, catfish po'boys, and fried green tomatoes.